Automatic oiler for journal-boxes.



]. GOTHNER'.

AUTOMATIC OILER FOR JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. ma.

1,282,811. 3.. Patented Oct. 29,1918.

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rinirnn srarns Parana? op nion;

JOHN GOTI-INER, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, ASSIGIETOR OF ONE-FIFTH TOERNEST W.

COOK, ONE-FIFTH T0 WILLIAM R. IIALLAM, ONE-FIFTH T0 JOHN HANEY, AND ONE-FIFTH T0 SOLON L. PERRIN, ALL OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC OILE R FOR JOURNAL-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 29, 191d.

Application filed. April 9, 1918. Serial No. 227,517.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN GOTI-INER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oilers forJ ournal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the subject of lubrication, and has particularreference to an improvement in devices for automatically oiling thejournal of the axles of railway rolling stock disposed within thejournal To this end the-invention contemplates a novel and practicallubricatingdevice of the roller type which may be readily inserted inthe journal box and held in proper relation to the axle at all times,and which is provided with a special bearing for its journal ends whichwill contribute materially to the life of the device and at the sametime enhance its value from a, practical and eco nomical stand-point.That is to say, it is proposed to provide a device of this characterwherein the lubricant supplying roller has a novel safety mounting,whereby it the support for one part of the journal breaks down anotheris automatically provided to permit the operation of the device in theusual way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box lubricatingdevice which may be readily handled as a com )lete unit,

that is inserted and reinovedfrom the box in its entirety, .and whichwhen placed therein may be braced or held against displacementlongitudinally within the box for the purpose of keeping the-lubricantfeeding roller properly centered with reference to the end of the axleor journal disposed within the journal box.

A further object is to provide a devicefor automatically supplyinglubricant from the well of the journal box to the axle in a thoroughlypractical and efficient manner, while at the same time providing adevice which permits of carrying a maximum amount of lubricant withoutincreasing the size of the journal box. 'That is to say, it is proposedto provide a device which will not be open to the objection that itspresence in the lubricant compartment of the journal box will displace avaluable quantity of oil.

With the above and other objects in; view Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of a journal box illustrating the present improved rollermounting.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hollow lubricant supplying roller.

Fig. l: is a detail perspective view of the shaft for supporting theroller showing its double diametered journal bearing end.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

Nhile it has been heretofore proposed to supply lubricant to the caraxle disposed within the journal box by means of a roller or the like,these devices in many instances have failed after a relatively shortperiod of use on account of the concentrated wear imposed upon thejournal ends of the shaft which support the roller. In devices of thischaracter it is necessary to yie'ldingly support the lubricant supplyingroller so that it may be always maintained in contact with the axlewhich. rotates it, and the pressure thus imposed on'the ends of theroller-shaft to maintain this operative relation, causes thecomparatively small ends of the said shaft to become rapidlyworn out,and frequently the roller drops from its support, and of course nolubricant is supplied to the axle.

Accordingly, in order to remedy this condition, the present inventionproposes to provide a novel support for the roller, and a novel journalbearing end for the roller supporting shaft. That is to say, as will beobserved from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it is proposed to provide asupporting plate designated generally as 1 having a central rollerclearance opening 2 and the special journal bearing seats designatedgenerally as S formed at each end thereof.

As will be seen more clearly from Fig. 1 of the drawings, these seats Seach con- SlSij Of the separate bearing sockets 3 and 4 arranged atdifferent levels, and which may for the sake of convenience inmanufacture be struck downwardly from the main body of the supportingplate 1 to provide the arrangement described, whereby the journal endsof the roller carrying shaft 5 may have an initial bearing in the uppersockets 3, and in case of necessity a final bearing in the lower sockets4-. In carrying into effect this novelarrangement of bearing seats, itisof course proposed to provide opposite ends of the roller carryingshaft 5 with special journaled bearing ends which consist of theseparate spindle portions 6 and 7 which are of different diameter andare adapted to have a bearing engagement at different times,respectively in the sockets 3 and 41. That is to say, it is proposed tohave the relatively small. spindle port-ions 6 initially bear in theupper sockets 3 of the plate, and so long as the said spindle portions 6do not break or become worn off the spindle portions 7 will remain outof contact with the sockets 41. However, when either one or the otherforegoing conditions exist, the sockets 4; will constitute a safetybearing for the ends of the roller carrying shaft. For the purpose ofholding the journal bearing ends of the roller in the sockets, suitableholding straps 8 or their equivalent may be utilized.

In connection with the roller carrying shaft 5 having the novel journalbearing ends above referred to, it will be observed that the bodyportion thereof is preferably rectangular so that the roller R may bereadily interlocked therewith in a simple and practical manner wherebyeither the roller R or shaft 5 may be readily renewed when the occasiondemands. As previously indicated, in order to provide for the maximumoil. carrying capacity of the journal box, the said roller R is hollow,and therefore the end portions thereof are provided with a plurality ofsuitable openings 9, and a central rectangular opening; 10 for receivingthe correspondingly shaped body portion of.

the shaft 5. This particular formation of the ends of the roller or drumR is especially advantageous not only because it permits the oil fillingthe entire interior thereof, but because it permits the shaft 5 to bereadily inserted and removed when the occasion demands in a quick andeasy manner, and of course involving little or no delay, in case it isnecessary to make replacement while the vehicle is in service.

For the purpose of maintaining the lubricant supplying roller or drum Rin frictional contact with the axle A, the said supporting plate 1 isyieldably supported at each corner by the springs 11 which surround thesupporting posts or-feet 12 whose lower ends are adapted to engage withthe bottom of the journal box while their upper ends have a slidableengagement through suitable openings in the corner of the plate tothereby permit the springs 11 tofexert their full force between theheads at the lower ends of the posts and the under side of the plate,and thus maintain the latter in proper elevated position.

Another important and practical feature of the present inventionresides'in providing means for centering the roller in the bottom of thejournal box in such a manner that it will always be in proper relationto the axle. That is to say, it is proposed to anchor the present devicewithin the journal box in such a manner that the relative horizontalshifting of the axle will not displace the roller from its properposition. Heretofore, it has been generally necessary to remove thejournal box to apply devices of this character for the reason that thesame must be positively secured in position therein, and in order to dothis it has been the custom to drill openings in the journal box toreceive suitable fastenings for an choring the lubricating device.However, the present invention aims to provide a device which may behandled as a separate unit and which may be simply inserted in thejournal box without the necessity of taking down the box or involvingother an necessary labor.

Accordingly, to provide for holding the present device in position, itis proposed to provide the plate 1 with a novel anchoring deviceconsisting of the oppositely disposed spring wire frame elements 13which as will be observed from Fig. 2, are of substantially U-shapedformation, whereby their arm portions 1 1 may straddle the roller It andtheir free ends 15 which are of hook formation may engage with suitableopenings 16 arranged in the body of the plate at each side of the rollerclearance opening 2. Obviously the ends 15 of the centering frameelements 13 may engage with any one of the openings 16 whereby thetransverse end portions 17 thereof may be spaced a greater or lessdistance from the end edges of the plate to engage with the interiorwalls of the journal box, and thereby space the plate the requireddistance from each wall. to maintain the roller R in engagement with thecentral portion of the axle A. For the purpose of steadying the spacingframes 18 in addition to their engagement with the plate at the openings16, it is also proposed to provide the guide straps 18 or theirequivalent adjacent the end edges of the plate 1 as shown in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention aimsto provide a hollow roller for supplying lubricant to the portion of thecar axle within the journal box, said roller being detachably engagedwith the shaft 5 which supports the same, and the said shaft having anovel journal bearing in a yieldingly mounted supporting plate which iscapable of being accurately spaced and held within the journal box tocenter the roller with reference to the axle, the whole structureconstituting a unit which may be readily inserted and replaced withinthe journal box with a minimum amount of labor, and expenditure of time.

Vithout further description it is thought that the many features andadvantages of the present invention will be readily apparent, and it ofcourse will be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a supporthaving a plu- 'ality of bearing seats, certain of which are in reserve,and a lubricant roller carrying separate spindle elements adapted torespectively cooperate with the normal and reserve bearing seats of saidsupport.

2. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a supportingplate having journal bearing seats arranged at different levels, and alubricant roller carrying a shaft cooperating with said sockets.

3. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a supportingplate for opposite journal bearing seats consisting of separate bearingsockets arranged at different levels, and a lubricant roller carrying ashaft cooperating with said sockets.

4. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxesincluding a supporting platehaving a roller clearance opening, journal bearing seats at each end ofthe opening including sockets arranged at different levels, and a rollersupporting shaft having journal end portions of diiferent diameters, theportions of smallest diameter being adapted to have a bearing inthe-upper sockets of the bearing seats while the portions of largerdiameter are out of contact with the lower sockets of saidseats.

5. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a supportingplate having a roller clearance opening and journal bearing seats ateach end thereof, a hollow roller mounted in said clearance,'and aroller support-ing shaft detachably interlocked with said roller andhaving journal end portions bearing in said seats.

6. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes includinga supporting platehaving a roller clearance opening and journal bearing seats at each endthereof, a hollow roller having perforated end portions provided with anangular shaft receiving opening, and a roller supporting shaft having anangular intermediate portion for detachably interlocking with saidopenings in the end of the roller and also having journal end portionsfor hearing in the seats at each end of said clearance opening.

7 An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a device forcentering the unit with reference to the axle, said device havingadjustable locking means.

8. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a lubricantsupplying roller for feeding the lubricant to the portion of the axledisposed within the journal box, and adjustable means for centering theroller of the unit with reference to the axle.

9. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a yieldinglymounted supporting plate, a lubricant supplying roller mounted thereon,and means adjustably engaging said plate and projectingbeyond each endthereof for engaging the interior of the journal box unit therein.

10. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a yieldinglymounted supporting plate having a plurality of adjust ment openings, alubricant supplying roller journaled therein, a pair of oppositelydisposed spacing frame elements having their inner ends engaging withsaid adjustment openings and their outer ends projecting beyond the endsof the supporting plate to engage with the interior of the journal box.

11. An automatic oiler unit for journal boxes including a yieldinglymounted supporting plate having a plurality of adjustment openings, alubricant supplying roller journaled therein, a pair of substantially U-shaped spring wire spacing frame elements having hooked inner endportions for engaging with the adjustment openings of the plate Whiletheir outer portions engage with the interior of the journal box tocenter the unit therein.

12. An automatic oiler unit including a supporting plate, means foryieldingly mounting the same, a roller journaled in said plate, andmeans for locking said plate against longitudinal shifting within thejournal box.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOHN GOTHNER. Witnesses M. K. HALLAM, SOLON L. PERRIN.

Copies of this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

